


Circuit Breaker: Side Stories

by Blackmoor



Series: Circuit Breaker [3]
Category: Homestuck, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Drabbles, Gen, One-Shots, collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-04-05
Updated: 2012-04-04
Packaged: 2017-11-03 01:49:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/375761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackmoor/pseuds/Blackmoor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A selection of one-shots in the Circuit Breaker continuum. May be by either of us.</p><p>Most recent: Black Widows- There was a reason that Airachnid crashed on Earth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Circuit Breaker: Side Stories

**Author's Note:**

> One-shot by draconicAlgorithm

Airachnid knew that she was going to have to land and resupply her ship soon. Energon stores were getting low. Replenishing them, so that the ship could continue to function and she could continue to live, was her first priority. And she knew just where to stop.

Earth. For whatever reason, the flyspeck of a planet had several large deposits of energon. Some were quite deep in the planet's surface—not that depth had ever been an issue for her. The best thing about the planet, though, was the native species. Humans, from what she understood, were weak but resourceful. They would be entertaining to hunt and add to her collection. Her thoughts of sport, however, were cut short as she was approaching the planet's gravitational field and her ship detected an attempted transmission. She traced the signal to a ship that was much closer than she would have liked. How her scanners didn't pick it up sooner, she wasn't sure. The ship was a familiar make, but not Cybertronian design. It didn't look large enough to be carrying weapons, though. Airachnid opened the link, humoring the alien.

She recognized the organic creature on the screen. The gray skin and bright orange horns were a dead giveaway. Airachnid ground her dentas. Trolls. They were a violent, disgusting little species that bred like scraplets and spread across the galaxies, conquering all they met. Airachnid had run into them once before while hunting on another planet and discovered all she wanted to know, including the fact that they had different shades of blood. This troll looked smug, her blue lips curved with a satisfied grin. Her horns weren't symmetrical—one had a crooked tip and the other forked at the end, forming a U shape. One of the troll's eyes, Airachnid noted with revulsion, had seven black pupils instead of the usual one. Abhorrent, bizarre creatures.

"Airachnid, correct?" The troll said before Airachnid could respond. Her voice, in the former-Decepticon's mind, was a little too cordial. "The spider-like Cybertronian."

"Who's asking?" Airachnid asked. The troll smiled wider, bearing a mouth full of jagged teeth.

"Spinneret Mindfang, captain of ship 1025 of Her Imperial Condescension's Third Fleet, the _Marquise_ ," she said. "Airachnid, were you aware that the Empress had put out a bounty on your head?"

"Oh, really?" Ariachnid replied, unable to keep the amusement out of her voice. "And why would she do that?"

"For the murder of at least twelve trolls, including three violet bloods, and the destruction of a great deal of Imperial property." The troll's expression never changed from one of mild amusement.

"You mean those tentacled organics?" Airachnid asked. "I wasn't aware that anything so squishy and spineless could be valuable."

"The squiddles, yes," Mindfang replied. "The ink they produced was superb in printing and a primary component of our black dye. It made a very nice shade." Airachnid chuckled.

"I am so sorry about your dye," she said sarcastically, "but I'm afraid I have plans just now, and I would like to wrap things up. Is there a point to this conversation?"

"I have a proposition for you," Mindfang replied. "In truth, I should have shot you down on sight. Instead, I'd like to make a deal. You help me with a pet project of mine, and I will make sure that you are not executed for crimes against Her Imperial Condescension." Airachnid mentally shook her head. The "pet project" was undoubtedly a coup of some sort. The Cybertronian did not fear the trolls or their empire in the slightest—she was superior to them in every sense. She wasn't about to let herself become the trump card for some ambitious organic.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline," she said. "I work alone, and I have no intention of being used by an organic." Mindfang made a great production of sighing regretfully.

"That's too bad," she said. "You seemed so intelligent, and I quite admired your… design. Oh well." As soon as the troll finished, something struck the ship, nearly knocking Airachnid off her peds. She gripped the control panel and shot her angry and confused gaze back to the screen where Mindfang looked on smugly. The ship did have weapons?

"How did you—"

"I told you, Airachnid," the troll said. "I've been ordered to kill you. Since you rejected my offer, I'm afraid I have no choice. Goodbye." The transmission cut off and another explosion rocked the ship. Airachnid staggered before she could check the ship's status. When she did, she cursed. One of the thrusters was already damaged. If she wanted to escape, she'd have to work fast.

Airachnid gunned the remaining thrusters, aiming for Earth. The _Marquise_ followed close behind, shooting again and rocking the ship. That one cracked the energon store, or so the flashing red alarm told her. It didn't ignite, thank Primus. All it would take was one more shot to blow the ship, though.

Airachnid fired a missile of her own. The _Marquise_ , a smaller and more mobile ship, dodged with ease, but that didn't worry Airachnid. It served its purpose—it propelled the ship into the planet's gravitational field and distracted her attackers. That was all she needed. Gravity pulled in the ship, dragging it out of the smaller ship's range. Airachnid would crash, no doubt, but she could slow down the ship enough to live. The _Marquise_ didn't follow—apparently Mindfang didn't think she would make it.

"Let her believe I'm dead," Airachnid hissed under her breath. "Let her forget about me. I'll pay her back soon enough."

\---

"Should we begin pursuit?" A green blooded crew member on the _Marquise_ asked. For a long moment, Mindfang didn't speak. She simply stared at the escaping ship, deep in thought.

"No," she said finally. "Let's see if she comes back." The cerulean blood smirked. "I know her type. She won't forget me, and I'll be waiting for her."


End file.
